The Republican governors of West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio announced Saturday they will send National Guard troops to Washington, DC, in an escalation of President Donald Trump’s efforts to federally take over law enforcement in the city.

National Guard troops have begun 24-hour operations around Washington, D.C., as of Thursday morning, according to a Department of Defense official. It's part of President Donald Trump's plan to address crime in Washington by taking over the city's police department and deploying the National Guard troops.

At least 700 National Guard troops will be sent to Washington, D.C., nearly doubling the number of Guardsmen active in the capital.